Call for action to protect Scotland's endangered capercaillie birds

Survey finds Highlands population has halved since 1990s, believed to be because of climate change and human activity

Conservationists have called for action to protect the capercaillie, one of Scotland’s rarest and most treasured birds, after data showed its population had fallen 50% in just over two decades.

An extensive field survey of capercaillie breeding grounds in the Highlands estimated a population of only 1,114 birds between 2015 and last year, compared with an estimate of 2,200 between 1992 and 1994.

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